Viet Nam expects to further enhance cooperation in maritime economics and science with Japan, said Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung at his reception for Minister of State for Ocean Policy Fukui Teru on September 4 in Ha Noi.

Deputy PM Dung was delighted with the strong, comprehensive and practical developments in Viet Nam-Japan extensive strategic partnership in all fields, bringing benefits for their people.

Japan is Viet Nam’s top economic partner, taking the lead among Official Development Assistance providers, ranking second in investment, third in tourism activities and fourth in trade value, he added.

Especially, Japan has supported Viet Nam in research, investigation, exploitation and sustainable use of maritime resources and environment as well as shared experience, promoted technology transfer and improved the capacity of the staff working in maritime science and technology and enhanced maritime law enforcement.

Deputy PM Dung expressed his hope that in the upcoming time, Japan will assist Viet Nam in strengthening forecasting capacity to cope with natural calamity and climate change, high sea-level rise, support equipment and technology and train human resources serving for fundamental investigation of maritime resources and science.

He expected that Japan will join hand in launching Viet Nam’s initiatives in establishinga regional partnership for East Asian seas on ocean waste management; assist VietNam in management, technical and technological experience in collection and treatment of hazardous wastes in seasand coastal areasand enhancingthecapacity in prevention of invasive alien species andbiodiversity decline in seas.

The Japanese PM attaches importance to tightening the cooperative relationship with Viet Nam, especially in maritime research, said Mr.FukuiTeru, adding that Japan is willing to share information and experiences in maritime policies with Viet Nam.

Japan suggests Viet Nam, as a coordinator in Japan-ASEAN relations, play more active role in addressing plastic waste in seas between nations in the region, he said.

Japan is proposing Japan-ASEAN cooperative plans with the focus on the establishment of action plans for each country and region, enhancement of wastetreatment initiative, especially plastic wastes, improvement of supervision and management capacity on discharge of wastes into seas and raising the awareness of local community on reducing waste into seas.

The plan is expected to become one of the key contents in 2019 when Japan chairs G20 Summit./.